The present invention relates generally to yarn tensioning devices, and more particularly, is directed to a yarn tension device suitable for use with yarn generally disposed in a horizontal alignment.
In the various industries which employ yarns to fabricate the finished product, such as in weaving and knitting, it is the usual practice to tension such yarns prior to entering the weaving or knitting machines by exerting a braking action on the yarns to control tension on the yarn so that it may be readily processed by the machine in a uniform manner. Most prior art yarn tensioning devices were designed to treat vertical yarns inasmuch as a great majority of machines utilized in the textile industry were designed for operation with yarns traveling in a substantially vertical path. U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,535 is exemplary of one prior art ball type tensioning device suitable for use with vertical yarns. Such devices function well with yarns in vertical orientation, but are completely unsuitable for use with machines wherein the yarns are run in a generally horizontal orientation. The present applicant and other prior workers in the art have designed yarn tensioning devices for use with horizontal yarns and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,094,477, 1,040,185, 1,372,557, 1,402,894, 1,211,862, 1,490,512, 1,167,636 and 3,383,072 are exemplary of known horizontal type yarn tension devices. The present invention seeks to provide improved performance in a relatively uncomplicated construction over all known prior horizontal yarn tension devices.